Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Glad to hear it. On the second part there, I was asking about the planned funding cuts rather than the people that were the decision of the board that they were finessed into. We partner governments and boards rely heavily on the Environmental Review Board for essential information and advice, and the federal government is kicking the legs out from under it. The Commissioner of the Environment said the same thing even before these cuts.

My question is, as I asked in my statement: How long will devolution negotiations muzzle our voice and our willingness to stick up for...

Of course, the reason I’m asking these questions – I appreciate the Premier’s response there – is that the public is not hearing about this. It’s the people, our people who are being affected by these decisions which are only affecting the Northwest Territories. We’re talking about boards within the Northwest Territories. I think we very much have a role here. We have the prospect of seven new mines, the fibre optic link, the Mackenzie Valley Highway extension, and possibly hydro development in the offing.

The government has complained past reviews were too slow. We haven’t hesitated to speak...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just a very brief comment. If the Minister proposes to put non-renewable resource revenue into the Heritage Fund, I would support that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister seems to think that the environmentally sustainable aspects and social responsibility can just happen without being designed. I say that’s baloney. Ploughing forward with blinders on is not going to serve us. That’s an old method that’s been disproven. We need a comprehensive holistic approach here.

So I ask, how will the Minister move to correct these oversights, and if he doesn’t, why bother spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on this exercise when we’re coming up with more of the same? Mahsi.

The strategy discussion paper lists the reference materials that will be the basis of analysis; that’s industry profiles, regional economic profiles and a literature review of economic strategies. But where’s the social analysis and the environmental studies such as the need to control growth in greenhouse gasses, building a carbon-neutral economy?

Does the Minister really believe that the socially responsible and environmentally sustainable aspects of an Economic Development Strategy can happen without specific and thoughtful preparation and design in that work? Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, the 17th Legislative Assembly envisioned promotion of strong individuals, families and communities by developing a socially responsible and environmentally sustainable Economic Development Strategy. I look at the Economic Opportunities Strategy approach and wonder how we could possibly have left behind the people, families, social responsibilities and environment.

The strategy discussion paper is a partnership of the industry department, NWT Chamber of Commerce, Northern Aboriginal Business Association and the NWT Housing Corporation. Blatantly missing is the social and...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I find myself well aligned with Mr. Dolynny’s comments. The Minister says we’ve been fiscally responsible. I’m going on my sixth year and it seems like every year we find ourselves more in debt despite increasing the debt and taking into account the redefinition of debt. We’ve made some really unfathomable decisions on big, costly infrastructure projects that really don’t have an economic return. We seem bent on continuing that sort of bizarre decision-making.

I’m just going to go through the budget address by way of helping to focus my comments, if that’s helpful at all...

Thanks for the Minister’s comments. I don’t disagree with much of that, but a quick look at the parameters of the discussion, the strengths will be examined. That’s mines, forests, airports, and connections and the like. No people there. The weaknesses are studied. That’s regulatory processes, roads, access to land. No human capacity there either. There are opportunities; for example, interest from foreign investors and, finally, threats…(inaudible)…threats to the business environment.

Again, where’s the environment, where are the people and where are the cost priorities? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. In my statement earlier today, I know the 17th Assembly Caucus clearly stated an emphasis on strong individuals, families and communities, and developing a socially responsible and environmentally sustainable Economic Development Strategy.

We know there are big challenges to achieve this and that expertise in all these areas is, obviously, required. How did the Minister set out to ensure the Economic Development Strategy meets the social and environment Caucus priorities, when the discussion...

I appreciate the Minister’s commitment there. Reports I have from visits to these local offices say there are no prominent postings of information on legal limits to interest rates and fees. It’s all in the fine print when it comes to signing the contract.

Will the Minister ensure work with the firms to produce and publicize this information, and prominently post posters and pamphlets for display at loan offices?